Breaking down the key stats from Texans 42, Dolphins 23

Houston Texans defensive back Natrell Jamerson (31), defensive end J.J. Watt and strong safety Kareem Jackson (25) celebrate a fumble returned for a touchdown that was overturned during the second quarter of an NFL football game at NRG Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018, in Houston.

Photo: Brett Coomer/Staff photographer

Not all stats are created equal. How those that most frequently influence who wins and loses played out in Texans-Dolphins Thursday:

Plus/Minus: +1

The Texans played their second consecutive turnover-free game. Rookie Justin Reid's interception and 21-yard return on the first play of the second quarter gave the Texans the ball at the Dolphins' 13. Two plays later, Deshaun Watson found rookie tight end Jordan Thomas for the touchdown that gave them a 14-7 lead they never lost.

The Texans are batting .500 over the last two games. Their most consequential pickups came early against the Dolphins when Watson found Will Fuller for a 34-yard gain on third-and-1 at the Texans' 44 and Lamar Miller scored on third-and-2 at the Dolphins' 2.

The Texans came up big on third downs at their 23- and 19-yard lines in the second and third quarters, forcing the Dolphins to settle for Jason Sanders field goals when touchdowns could have changed the game's complexion.

The Texans failed their first test, letting Kenyan Drake get free for a 12-yard touchdown run. But forcing an Osweiler incompletion on third-and-5 from the 19 in the second quarter ensured the Dolphins wouldn't forge a tie at 14.

After being shut out in Jacksonville, J. J. Watt got himself back into a tie for the NFL lead with his eighth of the season and Tyrann Mathieu added his second in two games. They also had one that ultimately didn't count, the newly signed Josh Keyes' overturned strip sack of Osweiler that would have led to a Natrell Jamerson scoop-six touchdown. Despite managing just five official hits, the Texans harassed Osweiler all evening.

This was the O-line's best performance by far, although it must be noted that Miami came in ranked 29th in the NFL with 11 sacks over seven previous games. Watson was also hit just once, a wonderful improvement over his league-high per-game average of 10 coming in.

Perfection is 158.3. Watson threw more touchdown passes (5) than he had incompletions (4) and he made it through his second consecutive game without a pick. It was a masterful effort for a guy who's recovering from a broken rib and partially collapsed lung. But, again, give his oft-maligned blockers their due.

But that includes Danny Amendola's perfect 158.3, the result of his throwing a touchdown pass on his lone attempt. With no touchdown passes, a costly pick and a completion percentage of under 57, Osweiler's number was 65.3 with a performance that reminded us of how he played as a Texan in 2016. He posted a lower rating in six of his 14 starts here.

The Texans have yet to "win" this stat in any of their games that ended in regulation, but it's not proving to be a relevant shortcoming. Three of their scoring drives consumed less than a minute and only one got dragged out for longer than four. Scoring fast is quite OK.

Dale Robertson is the longest-tenured sports writer at a major daily newspaper in Texas, having spent 18 years with the Houston Post (1972-90) before joining the Houston Chronicle in the fall of 1990. His primary sports duties include covering the Texans, the Houston Marathon, the Shell Houston Open PGA tournament and the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship, a stop on the ATP World Tour. He’s also the Chronicle’s wine columnist while writing occasionally about health issues and travel destinations.